assailant

noun

as·​sail·​ant ə-ˈsā-lənt How to pronounce assailant (audio)
plural assailants
: a person who attacks someone violently
an assault by an unknown assailant
She could identify the assailant and his two accomplices, and she wanted to press charges.Jennifer Baumgardner
Detectives speculated that she may have been punched on the chin, perhaps knocked unconscious by her assailant.Joseph Wambaugh

Examples of assailant in a Sentence

the darkness prevented me from getting a good look at my assailant
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The assailant, who said nothing during the attack and had no interaction with the conductor beforehand, ran out of the station. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025 Since the video’s release, Smith’s officers are redoing active assailant training, the second phase of which is set to begin in June. Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2025 Law enforcement believes there could have been three assailants involved, Spanish newspaper El País reported. Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025 That attack killed about 1,200 people, and the Palestinian assailants took about 250 hostages back to Gaza. Isabel Kershner, New York Times, 18 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for assailant

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of assailant was in 1523

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Cite this Entry

“Assailant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assailant. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

Legal Definition

assailant

noun
as·​sail·​ant ə-ˈsā-lənt How to pronounce assailant (audio)
: a person who commits criminal assault

More from Merriam-Webster on assailant

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